Second stage of S-400 delivery to Turkey due this year - source
MOSCOW. Aug 7 (Interfax) - Russia plans to finalize the delivery of S-400 air defense missile systems to Turkey this year, an informed source told Interfax on Wednesday.
"The second stage of the delivery is due to this year," the source said.
The first stage of the S-400 delivery to Turkey was completed on July 25.
Experts told Interfax that Turkey received two battalion sets of S-400 systems during the first stage.
The contract stipulates the delivery of four battalion sets of the systems.
Turkish Undersecretary for Defense Industries Ismail Demir said on the Turkish television channel TGRT in late July that the second stage of S-400 delivery to Turkey was planned for 2020.
Meanwhile, head of the Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation Dmitry Shugayev told Interfax on July 28 that the second stage of S-400 delivery to Turkey was due in the coming months.
Deputy Prime Minister Yury Borisov told Interfax in an interview in July that Russia would fulfill the contract for the delivery of S-400 systems to Turkey in 2019.
According to Rostec head Sergei Chemezov, some of the products will be given on credit. There have been no official reports regarding the currency which Turkey uses to pay for S-400 systems.
Washington has repeatedly threatened Ankara with sanctions, including its exclusion from the F-35 program, because of the decision to purchase Russia's S-400 systems. In the opinion of the United States, Russia might use S-400 to obtain information about U.S. F-35 combat aircraft.
Besides, Washington thinks that S-400 is incompatible with NATO systems.